Quirky History

John Quirk’s biography would have been a lot shorter if the German bomb that landed outside the air raid shelter in which he was born, had gone off. He started drawing soon after and left UK at 25 for East Africa, then New York and finally Australia where he lives with his wife and enjoys drawing, writing and messing about in boats.

• Introduction; 1. Camel Corps Captures U-Boat; 2. Henry V’s Channel Cruise; 3. The Taming Of The Screw; 4. Boats That Fly; 5. I’m Sorry, I Haven’t The Foggiest; 6. The Great Lynmouth Lifeboat Rescue; 7. The Man Who ‘Hid’ The Suez Canal; 8. Warning Shots; 9. The Birth Of The US Navy; 10. Lawrence To The Rescue; 11. The Sea Devil; 12. Plague Ships; 13. Dr Ted From Berkeley; 14. The Greatest Killer In Nelson’s Navy; 15. Mimi & Toutou Go Forth; 16. Off To D-Day In A Four Poster; 17. Those Magnificent Merlins; 18. The Navy Goes To Lake Turkana; 19. James Bond & The Armada; 20. Scuppered At Scarpa; 21. The First Yacht Race; 22. Whatever Happened To Diesel? 23. Napoleon’s Australia; 24. The End Result; 25. Russian Roulette

“December Book of the Month. Looking for a thoughtful gift for a history lover? This fun book goes as far back as King Henry V’s invasion of France in 1415 up to some of the key maritime events of World War II, weaving in details that more academic textbooks miss out, plus offering different angles on stories you thought you knew inside-out… The book is filled with cartoons and jokes that run throughout the 25 stories featured, all designed to inspire and grab the attention of kids young and old.” (Coast Magazine)““Not only does John Quirk have a relaxed writing style with frequent flashes of unforced humour, but his cartoons – and occasional more serious paintings – complement the text perfectly. Some of the stories are amusing… some inspiring… some poignant… and a few downright sad – but all are true and are well worth reading. Quirky History would make a great Christmas present for almost anyone, but do give yourself time to enjoy it first!” (Flying Fish)A funny, sideways glance at moments in British history… would make a perfect gift for all ages… A book billed as ‘quirky’ is likely to be opinionated, individual and occasionally provocative. John Quirk’s book is all of these things. It’s also clever and funny and will make an attractive gift.” (Yachting Monthly)“John Quirk’s 25 stories and 100 cartoons are a guide to entertaining maritime history.” (The Armourer)“Some of the stories are amusing… some inspiring… some poignant… and a few downright sad – but all are true and are well worth reading. Quirky History would make a great Christmas present for almost anyone, but do give yourself time to enjoy it first!” (Flying Fish)“Funny, informative, and above all quirky … He prods, entertains, and startles us with implausible stories which he manages to convince us were not altogether impossible. His vignettes are particularly rich with geographical diversity and humour.” (The Northern Mariner)